Pet Shop Boys West End Girls ~ Vintage Synthesizer Recreation ~ RetroSound

(c)2007-24 by RetroSound
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One of my favorite tracks from the 80s.
West End Girls by the Pet Shop Boys from the album Please (1984)
produced by Bobby Orlando
Featured the E-MU Emulator II (Marcato Strings, Voices, Bass and Drums)
And I tried to copy Chris Lowe's impassive facial expression as best I could. 😉
This cover song series contains my own recreations of my favourite songs from the last 50 years. The original music from which I take inspiration belong to their respective owners. I recreate tracks only for personal passion and to pay homage to these tracks.
My intention is not to create covers that sound exactly like the original (if you want to hear identical sounds, please listen the original). It's more of an inspiration with my sounds from the old synthesizers from the past and of course the great appreciation for the original performers and producers.
Check out the original songs with the original artists here on KZbin.
Thank you.
RetroSound synthesizer demo videos since january 2007.
Everything is free. If you like my work, you can also support me with the purchase of my merchandise stuff or my music.
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#emulatorii #synth #synthesizer #synthwave #80smusic #80s #synthesizers #synthwave #synths #vintagesynth #vintagesynthesizer #vintagesynthesizers #psb #emu2 #synthpop #marcatostrings

[@retrosound72]

RetroSound synthesizer demo videos since january 2007. If you like my work, you can also support me with the purchase of my merchandise stuff or my music. Shop: retrosound.creator-spring.com Bandcamp: retrosound.bandcamp.com/album/zeitreise-album The full RetroSound playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLDE9B65840284BBA0

[@-Ricky_Spanish-]

I hope I'm not the only one who just started naturally singing it.

[@retrosound72]

For sure not 😁🎤🙌

[@Mawds69]

Did the ahhhaaa-yeeeehhhh's also

[@OrbitalEntries]

This transported me from Lake Geneva to the Finland Station.

[@retrosound72]

💫🎹🙌

[@EmilyGoff-xc4ur]

Just like Lenin! (for those who weren't aware, that's the historical reference in the lyrics--Lenin traveled from Zürich to St. Petersburg's Finland Station by sealed railway train, it's how he got back into Russia in 1917)

[@michaelsrowland]

Wow. I didnt know that. Now i know what the finland station is aboit​@@EmilyGoff-xc4ur

[@RobinPalmerTV]

Sounds great! That Emulator looks heavy af. Keyboard/synth players from the 70s and 80s must have muscles on muscles.

[@retrosound72]

Yes but not so heavy as the big Oberheim synths. 😁 My daily workout is OB lifting. 👍 Thank you for your feedback

[@marsupialmicron]

Yes, but this and the Oberheims are bulky, accordingly, but the ensoniq mirage is kind of thin but heavy as hell

[@gameon2000]

​@@marsupialmicrontry to lift & haul around a Casio FZ1 / Hohner HS1 sampler or a KETRON Solton MS5😂

[@ddemulling9722]

Beautiful recreation of this timeless masterpiece. A dual sense of Reagan/Thatcher-era foreboding and cautious optimism that the future would be better. That feeling still haunts me four decades later. I needed this today. Thank you for these massive doses of frisson and nostalgia!

[@retrosound72]

@@ddemulling9722 thank you for your feedback and the kind words 💫🙌

[@fredericportal4209]

"That feeling still haunts me four decades later. I feel the same nostalgia ! Nowaday in my mind this song sound better and better than i listened in 86/87 ...

[@Canal_Noir_Film]

I've always loved the feel of this piece. There's a certain sad beauty through both it's composition and lyrics. It's written with such a good balance of the electronic and the music you'd still hear in London or Paris lingering from a fading past. Very very well arranged and played.

[@retrosound72]

Agree with you and thank you so much.🎹🙌

[@JayKaufman]

If synthesizers could float, the Emulator II would make a great boat. That thing is huge!

[@retrosound72]

O yes 🚀

[@nicholasbalette6354]

Makes me remember the 80 's and late 90's , Great synths Pop

[@retrosound72]

A timeless classic 🎹💫✨🙌

[@rb8058]

Chris Lowe sunglasses look is a nice touch!

[@retrosound72]

😎🎹👍

[@Disciple_Of_Lerxst]

What I really loved about the Emu was that the "Wheels" were clearly indicated and each wheel was labelled left and right because that can be very confusing. Great work BTW!!Loved that song back in the day.

[@retrosound72]

Thank you 🎹👍

[@alejandroruvalcaba1653]

Straight out of the 80s!!! The Emulator is a thing of Beauty!!! Superb video as always Thank you for uploads!!!

[@retrosound72]

Thank you so much 🎹🙌

[@AutPen38]

It's amazing how the three chromatic notes of the turnaround to the bassline is all anyone needs to hear to recognise this song. "Doo-doooo-did-did" is such a catchy hook.

[@retrosound72]

Yes . The perfect track. 🎹🙌

[@DX5]

Those Marcatto Strings from the Emulator II are awesome. As Chris used in the original recording :). Excellent cover.

[@retrosound72]

Thank you Jose 🎹🙌

[@Martin_Demsky]

Strings sounds very familiar to me as for Kurzweil K2000 user.

[@Musik_Arbeiter]

This is awesome, you nailed it! Great job! 😄🎧🎶

[@retrosound72]

Thank you 👍

[@brianh.000]

So accurate! I keep waiting for the vocals to come in. Well done!

[@retrosound72]

Thank you 🎹🙌

[@alexandercalder2143]

brings back great memories of getting off work and going to a bar in the 80s......

[@retrosound72]

Yes. 👍💫 Thank you

[@jimtaylor431]

a dive bar? In a west end town?

[@alexandercalder2143]

@@jimtaylor431 that's funny! It was in SF, central SF, in a bar with pool tables. We'd get off work, go to this bar, order Long Island ice teas in a giant mason jar (which I had never had before), and get somewhat blitzed. "Fun" in a non-productive way.

[@jochenreich683]

Gänsehaut!🙏mein all-time favorite!!!die 2 akkorde am anfang!❤🎉🎹🎹🎵🎶🥳💃🕺

[@retrosound72]

Vielen Dank fürs Reinhören.

[@jochenreich683]

@@retrosound72 imma wieda gerne👍

[@mainmajo]

Wunderbar das alles mal in “echt” zu sehen. Cool gespielt ! 😊

[@retrosound72]

Freut mich sehr, Dankeschön!🙌

[@jochenreich683]

Wir haben zu danken🙏👌-mfg-​@@retrosound72

[@voxxxxxy]

Oh man! You've just blown it out of the park AGAIN! I want an Emu II now ;)

[@retrosound72]

Thank you so much.🎹🙌

[@sheehanisdeadcomics9988]

Such a gorgeous tank! Want to go to there!

[@sheehanisdeadcomics9988]

Had a Drumulator…. No midi…. Built like Ft Knox (Pussy Galore approved). Got it for $99 in the late ’80s, early '90s…

[@retrosound72]

Thank you for your feedback

[@pronzac]

One of the most tenderly cool bassline, and a nice solo!

[@retrosound72]

Thank you and agree. 🎹🙌

[@BassFunMusic]

LOVE ♪♥♪ sounds

[@retrosound72]

thank you :)

[@jklam00]

floppy disk!!! 🙏 thank you for bringing back great memories!

[@retrosound72]

Thank you for your feedback

[@Hour.Of.The.Night.]

Ahhh, what a nice vibe this composition has! As soon as the hand with the floppy disk reached for the drive, my mood immediately lifted. 👆⬆🔼⏫🎚🎚🎚🎚🎚💯❤‍🔥🎹👍

[@retrosound72]

Happy to hear that! 👍 Thank you for your time and your kind words 🙌

[@randytrader3026]

That board does it all.. great job

[@retrosound72]

Thank you for your time

[@KlaraKopf]

Ist ein Song den ich bis heute immer wieder mal gerne höre. Danke für die musikalische Aufschlüsselung!

[@retrosound72]

Ja irgendwie kann man ihn sich einfach nicht überhören. 💫 Das ist schon besonders. Er ist irgendwie euphorisch und durchweg positiv.

[@Homemademusik]

Realy vintage sound 👍

[@retrosound72]

Thank you 🎹👍

[@mitchelstephen7536]

I stil have an Emax II with a lot of the Emulator II and III sounds ported over :). Awesome. I also have the Jupiter 6, they say made the bass sound.

[@retrosound72]

Thank you for watching

[@enigmanemo9352]

I'm impressed your floppy disk still loads. 😅

[@retrosound72]

Yes all works.

[@marcoballa]

Great! Facial expression too 😂😊

[@retrosound72]

O yes. 😁😎 Authentic 🙌

[@adrianch2527]

Amazing..still using floppy disc.. solid.. good sounds man. Love it.

[@retrosound72]

Thanks a lot

[@ggsautorepair]

Muy bueno, saludos desde chicago

[@retrosound72]

Thank you 🎹👍

[@christophercassel1001]

Klasse gemachtes Cover!!! Der Emulator klingt einfach genial. 😎

[@retrosound72]

Vielen lieben Dank fürs reinhören und dein Feedback 🙌🎹

[@ddr4ig]

Those strings!

[@retrosound72]

🎹🙌✨

[@AutPen38]

The E-mu marcato strings are an iconic sound of mid-'80s pop. I think Madonna's producers used them for the fabulous intro to 'Papa Don't Preach', but they were used for pad sounds on innumerable hits.

[@Axel_Forgiono]

Excellent 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@retrosound72]

@@Axel_Forgiono thanks a lot 🙌🎹

[@ultramet]

This is stellar !

[@retrosound72]

thank you! :)

[@Evandromusician]

Fantastic

[@retrosound72]

Thanks a lot

[@winterland2011]

Amazing performance! Thank you for your dedication.

[@retrosound72]

Thank you for watching 🙌🎹

[@claudioexplica]

Moving my head!

[@retrosound72]

:))

[@АлександрСериченко-ь9ш]

Когда чувак в начале вставил в дисковод гибкий магнитный диск - я не гладя поставил Лайк и ПОДПИСАЛСЯ😂

[@retrosound72]

😁🙌 спасибо

[@VladoT]

Great as always!!!

[@retrosound72]

Thanks a lot 🙌🎹

[@Mind-your-own-beeswax]

Great job Marko. 👏👏

[@retrosound72]

thank you so much :)

[@imnickleonard]

Finally. Someone who doesn’t wreck a video with awful singing using a nasty vocoder. Really enjoyed watching/ listening to a few vids. Ty for sharing :)

[@retrosound72]

Thank you for your kind words. Enjoy 🙌💫

[@Antoine-dk5fs]

Souvenirs souvenirs 😊 👍👍👍

[@retrosound72]

🎹🎤

[@RayyMusik]

I like the ‘WHEELS‘ caption above the … ahem … wheels. Anyway, this behemoth sounds great!

[@retrosound72]

Thank you so much for your feedback 🎹

[@Johngengelbach2]

Awesome, loved it

[@retrosound72]

Thank you John

[@whizzkideddy6779]

Loving it. Great cover ♥

[@retrosound72]

Thanks a lot 🎹💫

[@michaelmitchell8218]

What can you say ? You got to love the Emulator it changed history in music. Funny I was watching a thing on Depeche Mode when they started using the EMU stuff and they also used a PPG too. What shocked they was using it on broken frame album. Always thought it was construction time album was the start. Anyway fantastic demo you done here and sounds amazing how spot on you get your demos. As I always say fantastic channel, beautiful synths and a top talent man running it all. Thanks for sharing with us.

[@retrosound72]

Thank you again for your feedback Michael. Yes we love the EII. My workhorse for the many works in studio. All comes here from the Emu. The Bass, The Drums...all. It's fun to create new sounds .🎹👍

[@angeleeruiz]

Excellent, bravo maestro!

[@retrosound72]

Thank you for your kindness

[@sorrenable]

That Was amazing ❤❤❤❤ well done😊😊😊😊

[@retrosound72]

Thanks a lot!

[@Tonewheeldude]

Spitze.Sehr Gut Gemacht

[@retrosound72]

Vielen Dank!

[@DavidLanger-d8c]

One of the best songs of 1985-86

[@retrosound72]

👍

[@gglivetv]

wow!

[@retrosound72]

Thank you 🙌

[@mode_in_analytics]

come al solito: GRANDE..

[@retrosound72]

Grazie 🎹👍

[@zzznrrr]

Tolle Umsetzung mal wieder. Ab der zweiten Strophe hätte ich gerne ich ein paar eingeblendetete Lyrics zur Orientierung ;-)

[@retrosound72]

Vielen Dank. 🎹🙌 Ihr müsst auch noch etwas machen. 🎤🎛️😁😉

[@alancheatley4378]

Perfect West End Girls mix, only thing is you need a baseball cap to make that Chris Lowe look 😅

[@retrosound72]

Haha yes but I don't want a Chris Lowe Basecap copyright strike 😁😉😎

[@mantragonist]

Sehr gut, grüße aus Deutschland gehen raus. 🙂

[@retrosound72]

Dankeschön

[@LordCritish]

Very nice! I take a guess here but you probably got inspiration from the video from Distort the Preamp? ;)

[@retrosound72]

Thank you 🙌

[@tommyvaughanhaus]

Love it!

[@retrosound72]

Thank you 🙌

[@tommyvaughanhaus]

@@retrosound72 Sent a link over to my daughter in LA with the caption "starting my weekend early". She replied "this is sick". Which in young people language means "this is awesome".

[@retrosound72]

@@tommyvaughanhaus 👍🚀💫

[@NicolasMelis]

Yes 🙌

[@retrosound72]

Thanks again 🎹🙌🎹

[@RobertDorschel]

FEKKING PERFECT

[@retrosound72]

Thank you

[@andresfelipesuccar5179]

Cool

[@retrosound72]

🎹👍

[@juliantorresi6262]

Buenismo!!!!

[@retrosound72]

🙌🎹

[@JonBushell]

Nice better than my GarageBand version.

[@retrosound72]

Thank you

[@Nenko_Music]

Yes Sir ! ❤‍🔥🔥

[@retrosound72]

Thank you!

[@DrSqu]

Yeah! Wie geil ist dedn das?! :-)

[@retrosound72]

Danke dir Doctor 👍🎹

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

Although Pet Shop Boys were primarily a dance music duo (as opposed to art rockers), here’s something I’ve come to believe in recent years. Chris’ use of that “String Ensemble” patch on the Emulator II represents an evolutionary step forward from how musicians like Mike Pinder utilized (more or less) the same sound on the Mellatron, the clear difference being a sample-playback keyboard vs a tape-playback keyboard. It’s cool how you also played the drums from the E II. We’re they among the tones E-Mu subsequently uploaded to the SP-12?

[@retrosound72]

Agree with you and yes the Drum sounds are mostly identical with the SP12. Thank you for your feedback 🎹👍

[@ellucerodelteclado548]

Wow❤❤

[@retrosound72]

Thank you

[@dalejason]

Sweet 👌

[@retrosound72]

Thank you 👍

[@marcom.]

Ich denke gerade an die vielen Soundfonts, die ich noch habe und teilweise immer noch in meinem NN-XT Sampler nutze. Damals per Hardware abgespielt auf meinen Soundblaster-Karten mit dem EMU-8000 Chip. 😀

[@retrosound72]

Coole Zeiten 💫🙌

[@dasmusikradio]

Top .😉😇

[@retrosound72]

Thank you 🙌

[@avace917]

Amazing job. So every sound on this song is from the Emulator II? Even the drums?

[@retrosound72]

Yes. Thanks a lot. 🎹👍

[@bleepbloopsounds]

Inner… inner city pressure…

[@retrosound72]

🎹👍

[@ozcandurmusoglu]

Thank you Marco. Your videos are inspiring... How do you have so much synths? Are you a seller? or a hobby room?

[@retrosound72]

Thank you. 🎹🙌 No but in the late 90s were these 80s synths very cheap and I had no money to buying actual synths. And so came synth to synth.

[@ozcandurmusoglu]

@@retrosound72 80s 90s synths are real ones, actual ones are imitations only, you did it good.

[@aurelionasvw]

Show d+

[@retrosound72]

🎹👍

[@KlaraKopf]

Ich finde ja das der EMULATOR II der wahre DX-7 ist. 🙂

[@retrosound72]

Die ganze Synthesizer Palette eigentlich. 🎹🎹🎹😅🙌

[@jimknopf705]

Wir sind die Roboter ......

[@retrosound72]

🤖👆

[@не_нормальный]

The main drums are also from the Emulator II?

[@retrosound72]

Yes 🎹

[@petauxoeufnono5827]

Nice bass sound, did you use the FM bass+analog layer or your own recipe ? I would like to know as it sound really snappy!

[@retrosound72]

I use a edited Moog bass derivate from the EII library 🎹

[@petauxoeufnono5827]

@@retrosound72 Interesting as there was a debate on the bass sound which happened to be snappy because the ana bass was layered with a fm "trying to sound analog" patch.... If you happen to be near Konstanz, I would be glad to talk synth with you. In the meanwhile, keep up the good work !

[@retrosound72]

@@petauxoeufnono5827 Yes. In the original song a DX7, JP6 and EII sound layered. Thanks again.

[@jurgenbaier3384]

Geil, aber die Schrift am Keyboard könnte etwas größer sein ;-)

[@retrosound72]

Ist für Sehbehinderte 😁

[@gamersintheworld2.06]

hello, where did the bass from the mini moog or PPG wave come from?

[@retrosound72]

I use a Moog Bass and I think the PSB too. A PPG bass sounds different.

[@shareeharms5421]

My favorite Pet Shop song played beautifully! Excellent. Thank you

[@viciusdark3200]

♥♥♥♥♥

[@retrosound72]

🎹💫🙌

[@thorodinson5753]

Мясистый все таки был E-MU он и сегодня звучит лучше многих vst i

[@retrosound72]

🎹👍

[@rebmcr]

Indistinguishable!

[@retrosound72]

Thank you

[@DavGreg]

Is there a good SoftSynth for Emulator 2?

[@retrosound72]

UVI Emulation II a few samples are made by me. ;)

[@oscargrouch8888]

Are these presets that pet shop boys used that came with the synth or did they sample the sounds like emax . I think the riff goes from a e major to a d or a chord to a e minor

[@retrosound72]

Mostly factory sounds

[@tudorhoria764]

Korg OASYS ?

[@retrosound72]

No.

[@marcusf.6722]

Next song, Screaming Jets by Johnny Warman.

[@retrosound72]

🎹😉

[@michaelsrowland]

I think cl used an emulator

[@retrosound72]

Yes. A Emulator II.

[@yannicksans7141]

How can the Emulator II+ sends audio without audio wires ? (Sorry i haven't seen the output mix cable)

[@retrosound72]

🕵️

[@louping111]

emulator 2 front 242

[@retrosound72]

🎹👍

[@philippezsiga1125]

These marcato strings are légendary…. INXS used the same EII presets/factory sample on Bitter tears . Imo the EII library ( factory + OMI ) is the most legendary sound library ever …

[@retrosound72]

Yes agreed. Wonderful sound. Thank you for your feedback.

[@ДенисАрютин]

Alan Wilder playing such like?

[@retrosound72]

Yes. And the Emax

[@keithharper8347]

Love it!

[@retrosound72]

Thank you 👍